Web tension device



y 155, 1932- A. J. CLINE 1,868,310

WEB TENSION DEVICE Filed March 31, 19150 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IIIIIIIII/l/July 19, 1932. A. J. CLINE 1,868,310

' WEB TENSION DEVICE I Filed March 31, 1930 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllllnlh l I llZ/f Mm! MW 77 76 I Patented July 19,

ALLAN J. GLINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS WEB TENSION DEVICE Applicationfiled. March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,230.

This invention relates to web tension apparatus for controlling therotation of web rolls such, for example, as the paper rolls used tosupply printing presses, such rolls being ordinarily supported by rollstands or reels located underneath the presses, as in the basement or ona lower floor of the printing plant.

Tension mechanism of this general character to which my invention isparticularlyadaptable is shown in Scott Patent No. 1,610,- 713, it beingan object of the invention to provide means whereby tension mechanism,such as is shown in this patent, may be adjusted and the tension therebycontrolled from a remote point, as from a pressroom control station,whereby the pressmen may vary the tension on the web from time to time,in ac cordance with changing conditions, without the necessit of callingdown to the roll tenders in the asement orotherwise signalling for anadjustment of the tension. 7

The invention is also applicable to tension mechanism such as that shownin my pending application, Serial No. 389,363 and other adaptations ofit will be readily apparent.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig.1 is a side elevation of a roll stand equipped with tensionmechanism in which my lnvention is embodied, one of the pedestals of theroll stand being removed and the printing machine being diagrammatical-1y illustrated;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the movable collar and associated parts bywhich the brake mechanism is actuated and Fig. 3 is an elevationalandsectional view showing the device of the invention applied to thetension mechanism shown in my copending application above mentioned.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, thereferencecharacter 11 indicates a press unit (shown diagrammatically) adapted tobe supplied with paper from web rolls 12 supported in the basement orupon a sub-level, said rolls being carried by a roll stand comprisingspaced pedestals 13 in the upper ends of which is journaled a shaft 14which carrie two'spiders 15 located at the opposite ends thereof andprovided with spindles '16 adapted to support the rolls 12, this part ofthe construction being well known in the art. The web 17, which is shownin two positions to indicate the full and depleted condition of the rollpasses over a floating or spring roller 18, thence downwardly around acompensating roller 19 from which it is directed upwardly through thepressroom floor 21 and over a guide roller 22 forming a part of thepress mechanism. The roller 18 is mounted in a bracket 23 and isnormally urged upwardly by means of a spring 24 mounted on a rod 25connected with a bearing block 26 in which the end of theroller iscarried, it being understood that GI this mechanism is duplicated at theopposite end of the roller so that the latter will be properly balanced.The mounting of the roller 19 will be later described.

.The shaft 14, carrying the spiders 15'between which the rolls aresupported, is adapted' to be rotated in any suitablemanner as bythereon, said straps thus serving as brakes, .which, as will presentlyappear, may be automatically tightened when the web is slack andloosened when it is taut.

The toggles 33 are each provided with a rod 34 extending inwardly towardthe shaft 14, being supported in brackets 35 on the spiders 15. Said rod34 is equipped at its inner end with a screw 36 adapted to engage a camsurface 37 on a'collar 38 slidably mounted upon the shaft '14, saidcollar being held against rotation by means of a pin 39 which is adaptedto extend into a socket in the pedestal 13. Said collar 38 is providedwith a groove 41 in which there is disposed a yoke 42 connected by meansof'a link 43 with a rod 44 extending upwardly and connected at its upperend with a lever 45 which is pivoted at 46 to a frame bracket 47. Saidlever extends beyond the pivot 46 and the opposite end 48 thereof isconnected by means of a spring 49 witha fixed part on the frame, theupper part of said spring and its connection to the frame being omittedfor convenience in illustration. l The roller 19, previously mentioned,is carried by arms 51 mounted upon a shaft 52, said arms being extendedbeyond said shaft and the'opposite ends 53 thereof being connected bymeans of a rod 54 to a dashpot 55 which serves to steady the roller 19and to 2o ver 45 and, by means of the rod 44, to the oke42 whichactuates the collar 38 therey actuating the toggle to the brake 29, 31on the active roll i. e., the roll now shown at the right in Fig. 1. Itwill be evident that when the roller 19 is raised by reason of increased tension on the web, due to increased speedof the press or toother causes, the rod 44 willbe lowered, causin the collar 38 tobe justthe weig moved to the left viewing ig. 2, thereby loosening the straps29 and 31 on the friction wheel 28 and when the roller 19 is permittedto lower by reason of slack in the web the eflt'ect upon the brake willbe the opposite to that just described causing the straps 29 and 31 tobe tightened upon the friction wheel 28 thereby slowing down the roll.

A threaded rod 58 is supported on the shaft 52 and extends in op osltedirection to the arms 51, said rod 58 eing provided with a counterweight59 which, in accordance with the present invention, consists of a small"motor which is adapted to be moved along said rod 58 b 'ts own power tothereby adaccording to changing conditionsin the o eration of the press,said motor being sub ect to control by the pressmen on the floor aboveby means of a reversing switch diagrammatically illustrated at 61. Saidswitch is connected to an electric line, the opposite sides of which areindicated by the reference numerals 62 'and 63,.

and may be of any standard type whereby the di'rectionof flow of thecurrent through the motor may be reversed. at will, said switch beingconnected with the motor by suitable wirmg contained in a cable 64. The

f details of the mounting of the motor 59 are best shown in Fig. 3, fromwhich it will be noted that the motor shell is suspended from a bracket64 carried upon a hub part 65 of a gear 66 which meshes with a pinion 67on the armature shaft, saidhub portion 65 being threaded upon the rod 58so that rotation of said gear 66 moves the entire assembly lengthwise ofthe rod. By thus providing for the control of the counterweight from thepressroom floor, the tension on the roll may be varied at will by thepressmen who are in best position to udge the needs for change in thetautness of the web'and it is rendered unnecessary for the -pressmen tocall to, or otherwise communicate with; the men in the basement when atension change is desired.

The same adjusting means may be applied to a tension device of the typeshown. in my prior application, Serial No. 389,363, hereinabovementioned, this adaptation of the invention being'illustrated in Fig. 3.In said figure a tenslon strap 68 is shown as secured at its lower endto a spring bolt 69 mounted in an angle member 71 permanently attachedto the floor, said strap extending from said bolt around a roller 72,.thence upwardly in contact with the surface of the roll '(which isshown as full in the dotted lineposition and as artially depleted in thesolid line, position? the upper end of the strapbeing connected to anarm 73 carried by a roller 74 which is movably mounted in a bracket 75which is permanentlyattached to the under side of the pressroom floor orto a fixed frame structure. There are ordinarilyin practice several ofthe straps 68 spaced across the J length of the roll and it w1ll beunderstood that they are similarly anchored and secured to the floatingroller 74. The web 17 passes over said roller 74, thence downwardly tothe rod 58 as shown in Fig. 1, and having mounted thereon as acounterweight the motor and gear assembly previously described. It willbe evident that the tension on the web may be increased by moving saidmotor outwardly on the rod portion 58 and decreased by moving saidassembly inwardly since such movementtends toalter the upward force ofthe roller 74. While the action is specifically opposite to that in theembodiment v of the invention shown in Fig. 1 in the sense that movementof the motor assembly outwardly on the rod tends to increase the tensionand inward movement tends to decrease the tension, whereas the reverseaction occurs with the construction shown in Fig. 1, the two embodimentsare fundamentally similar in that the'movement of the motor varies thetension and may be readily controlled by operation of the reversingswitch 61. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the tension is to a certainextent automatically controlled in that the web when taut tends to drawthe thereby controlling the tension produced by the brake mechanism uponthe roll.

sion of the straps 68 on the roll and when slack develops in the websaid roller 74; is

i moved upwardly by the weight 59 thus in- 5 creasing the tension, butin accordance with my invention the tension may be still furthercontrolled to accommodate changing conditions due to such factors aschanges in the temperature and humidity affecting the elasticity of theweb, the tension mechanism being therefore, more eflicient and betteradapted to conditions of service than with a construction in which thecounterweight or other counter balance for the floating roller is fixedor subject only to manual adjustment. a

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessarylimitations should be understoodtherefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly aspermissible in view. of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A web tension device comprising, in combination with a roll supportand'a machine to which the web is ,to be supplied; brakemechanism forcontrolling the roll;

, means governed by the tension of the web for operating said brakemechanism; a counterweight for regulating said brake operating means;and a remote control device for adjusting said counterweight.

2, A web tension device comprising, in combination with a roll supportand a machine to which theweb is to be supplied; brake mechanism forcontrolling the roll; means governed by the tension of the web foroperatin said brake mechanism; a movable counter alancing element forregulating said brake operating means; and a remote control device foradjusting the position of said counterbalancing element.

for operating said brake mechanism; a counterweight comprising a movablymounted motor for regulating said brake operating means; a source ofcurrent for said motor; a switch for controlling the supply of currentto the motor; and means operable by the motorfor adjusting the positionof the latter to vary its value as a counterweight,

4. A. web tension device comprising, in combination with a roll supportand a machine to which the web is to be supplied; brake mechanism forcontrolling the roll; means governed b the tension of the web A foroperating said hrake mechanism; a counterweight comprising a movablymounted I motor for'regulating said brake operating means; a source ofcurrent for said motor; a reversing swltch for controlling the. supplyof current to the motor; and means operable by the motor for adjustingthe p'osition of the latter to vary its value as a counterweight,thereby controlling the tension produced by the brake mechanisnrupon theroll.

5. A web tension device comprising, in

' combination with a roll support and a machine to which the .web is tobe supplied;

brake mechanism for controlling the roll;

means governed by the tension 'ofthe web for operating said brakemechanism; a counterbalance comprising a movably mounted motor forvregulating said brake operating means; a source of current for saidmotor;

a reversing switch located accessibly to the operator of said machinefor controlling the suppl of current to the motor; and means opera le bythe motor for'adjusting the position of the latter to vary itscounterbalancin eflfect, thereby controlling the tension prloduced bythe brake mechanism upon the r0 1.

6. A web tension device comprising, in

combination with a-roll support and "a printin g press to which the webis to besupplied;

brake mechanism for controlling the roll;

7 A web tension device comprising, in

combination with a rollsupport and a printing press to which the web isto be supplied; brake mechanism for controlling the roll;

means governed by the tension of the web for operating said brakemechanism; a counterbalance comprislng a movably mounted motor forregulating saidbrake operating means; a source of current for saidmotor: a reversing switch located at a control station adjacentlthepress for controlling the supply and directi'onbf the current to themotor; and means comprising a threaded rod and an internally threadedmotor carriage thereon geared to the motor for ad justing the positionof the latter tovary its counterbalancing 'efit'ect, thereby controllingthe tension produced by the brake mecha nism upon the roll.

8. 'A web tension device comprising, in combination with a roll supportand a printing press to which the web is to be supplied; brake mechanismfor controlling the roll;

means including a compensating rollergoverned by the tension of the webfor operating said brake mechanism; a counterbalance for said. rollerincluding a rod and a motor mounted thereon, said motor being movableunder its own power on said rod; a source of current for. said motor;and a reversing switch for controlling the supply of current to saidmotor.

9. A web tension device comprising, in comm-bination with aroll supportand a printing press to which the web is to be supplied; brake mechanismfor controlling the roll; means including a compensating roller governedby the tension of the web for operating said brake mechanism; acounterbalance for said roller including a rod and a motor mountedthereon, said motor being movable under its own power on said rod; asource of current for said motor; and a reversing switch located at acontrol station near the press for controlling the supply of current tothe motor. 10. A tension device for web rolls including: means forbringing web rolls; one at a time, into feeding position; controllingmechanism governed by the tension of the web from the roll which is infeeding position, said controlling mechanism including a movably mountedmotor operating as a counterweight; v and brake mechanism for said rollsto coact with said controlling mechanism.

11. A tension device for web rolls including: means for bringing webrolls, one at a time, into feeding position; controlling mechanismgoverned by the tension of the web .from the roll which is in feedingposition,

said controlling mechanism including a counterweight controllable from aremote point to adjust the position thereof; and brake mechanism forsaid rolls to co-act with said controlling mechanism.

12. A web tension device comprising, in combinationwith a roll supportand a printing press to which the web is to be supplied: brake mechanismfor controlling the roll;

means including a com ensating roller governed by the tension 0? thewebfor operating said brake mechanism; and a movably mounted motorcontrollable from a press control station for counterbalancing saidcompensatin roller to thereby control the tension app Rd to the roll.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification.ALLAN J, CLINE.

